The Happiest Place On The Seas
From the very beginning, Disney Cruises have been a smashing success, and they now attract hundreds of thousands of passengers per year, staking their place in the top 10 most profitable cruise lines. But behind all that are some wild insider tips and dark secrets—and it all began with a brutal betrayal.
The Golden Age
The Disney Cruise Line was born in the megaship era of cruising, which came about in the 1990s, after an initial boom in the 70s and 80s sparked by, strangely enough, a TV show—The Love Boat.
Considering the popularity of Disney’s theme parks, an expansion into cruises just made sense, but they entered the market in a roundabout way.
Chris Gent , CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Premier Years
The operating costs for cruise lines are wildly exorbitant, and Disney made a wise choice by starting their cruises as part of a deal with Premier Cruise Line, rather than dealing with those expenses themselves. And for a while, it was a partnership that thrived.
Mix And Match
Disney’s partnership with Premier Cruise Line, which began in 1985, meant that Premier could feature Disney characters and entertainment on their ships, and could offer packages that would mix and match cruises, hotel stays, and theme park tickets.
But then Premier did something surprising.
The Switch-Up
In 1993, Premier ended their deal with Disney and instead introduced Looney Tunes characters on their ships—while still offering combined Disney packages that also included Universal Studios theme park tickets.
That’s when Disney turned around and approached the two biggest cruise lines in the world to replace Premier as their partner.
The Next Step
For a while, Disney was in negotiations with both Royal Caribbean and Carnival cruise lines to start their next exclusive partnership—but when those options fell through, they had to go back to the drawing board. Is it any surprise that what they came up with was as spectacular as any of their theme parks?
Four Years
In 1994, Disney began drawing up plans for their own cruise ships--independent of the major cruise lines in operation. They announced their maiden voyage would take place in 1998. It was a massive undertaking, and starting a cruise line ended up being as costly as opening a theme park—and they didn’t just stop at ships.
Castaway Cay
Sure, big commercial cruises stop in ports all over the world—but how many own private islands for their guests to stop in? Not many. As their first ships, the Magic and the Wonder, were being constructed, Disney bought an island in the Bahamas and renamed it Castaway Cay, intended to be an exclusive stop for Disney cruise passengers.
Running Late
Disney had an incredibly ambitious operation on the line—but you know what they say about the best-laid plans. The Magic was supposed to start operations in March of 1998, and the Wonder in December of 1998, but things didn’t exactly work out that way…
The Disney Magic
The Magic was the first Disney cruise ship, built between 1996 and 1997 for a whopping $400 million. The massive ship is 984 feet long, has 11 decks, and can hold 2,700 passengers in 875 staterooms, with room for 950 crew. The ship was ordered at the same time as Disney’s second ship, the Wonder.
The Disney Wonder
Both ships were built by Fincatieri at the Marghera shipyard in Italy. The Wonder has the same specs as the Magic, with one major difference. While the Magic was decorated in an Art Deco style, the Wonder was done in an Art Nouveau style.
Problems with other projects by Fincatieri delayed the planned maiden voyages of the two ships—but by the summer of 1998, Disney Cruise Lines was finally ready to set sail.
tdlucas5000, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Yellow Lifeboats
When the Magic was unveiled, it had a feature that went against all previous maritime safety regulations. The ship's exterior is white and black with red accents, and the lifeboats were yellow, following a color palette inspired by Mickey Mouse. Well, thanks to international maritime rules, lifeboats are typically a standard safety orange—and Disney had to acquire a special waiver for their Mickey-themed lifeboats.
Notable Features
Disney’s “imagineers” truly went all out when it came to designing the facilities and entertainment aboard the ship, from a restaurant decked out with fiber-optic touches to recreate the animation process to a Captain Hook-themed pirate’s deck, to a zone for teens modeled after a 50s diner.
The Tickets
When Disney first launched their cruise line, they offered vacation packages that combined three or four days at Disney World with three or four days on the Magic. For a family of four, this would’ve run about $5,200 in 1998. In 2024 prices, that’s a steal—but at the time, trips on a Carnival cruise would’ve been about 30% less.
Disney was hoping that families would want to shell out for that magical Disney touch—and they got what they wished for.
Earning Their Place
In the next decade, Disney fought hard for their market share in the highly-competitive cruise industry—and they consistently found themselves in the black as successive generations of families bought into the one-of-a-kind experience of a Disney cruise.
For years, Magic and Wonder offered tens of thousands of passengers the chance at a little Disney magic—but then, it was time for Disney cruises to go big.
The Disney Dream
In 2007, Disney commissioned two new ships for the first time in their nearly 10-year history: the Dream and the Fantasy. This time, they were built by German shipbuilding company Meyer Werft, and each cost around $900 million. At 1,114 feet long, the Dream can hold a maximum of 4,000 passengers in 1,250 staterooms, with 1,458 crew.
The Disney Fantasy
The Fantasy has the same specs as its sister ship, the Dream, and came into service a little over a year later, in March of 2012, three years after construction began. When the Dream and Fantasy went into operation, they took over the Magic and the Wonder’s spots at Disney’s launching port, Port Canaveral.
Keep It In The Family
The Dream was christened in January of 2011, and the choice of its godmother had special significance. Disney selected Jennifer Hudson to christen the ship—before she found fame on American Idol, Hudson had worked as a performer on Disney’s second cruise ship, the Wonder. Hudson’s story was proof that Disney magic can come true.
And with the Dream and the Fantasy, a whole new generation of Disney fans started cruising—and unlocked the secrets of the Disney fleet.
Disney’s Best-Kept Secrets
When you step on a Disney cruise, nearly every element of your experience is planned out for you, depending on your ticket package…or so you’d think. Experienced cruise passengers and crew have both shared some of the secrets when it comes to getting the most out of your Disney cruise—and some are downright surprising.
Newer Just Might Be Better
While the Magic and Wonder may have nostalgic value and have had multiple upgrades since they first set sail, Disney has specifically designed newer ships to not just be bigger, but better in every way than their predecessors, and to correct things that didn’t work, according to cruise experts.
That means, for example, enlarging areas that previously got overcrowded, to make sure every guest on the newer ships like the Wish have a great time.
Navigational Aid
Listen, we know that nobody wants to download yet another app onto their phone for a single use. But when it comes to making the most out of a Disney cruise, their Navigator app is absolutely necessary. From the app, you can book anything that needs booking on board, plus get into about every activity on offer. You can also opt for notifications, so that you’ll get an alert when it’s time for an activity or character meet and greet you’ve expressed interest in.
Look At Cast Members’ Name Tags
Disney crew and staff—AKA cast members—will have their names and country of origin on their name tags, most of which are white. But if you happen to spot a cast member with a blue name tag, make sure to cozy up to them, because they’re your access point for the best Disney experience.
What Does A Blue Name Tag Mean?
Blue name tags are only awarded to Disney Legacy cast members—those who have gone above and beyond in their Disney career and have been recognized for their incredible service. It’s the highest honor a Disney cast member can receive, and if you wanna be treated like a VIP, they’re the ones who will do it right.
Rotational Dining
Disney cruise ships are known for a special dining structure that differentiates them from other cruise lines. It’s a rotational structure where guests dine at a different restaurant each night (depending on how many restaurants on the ship and length of the stay). But Disney does something special to keep this experience feeling warm and welcoming.
Do I Look Familiar?
Though passengers will rotate between restaurants, they may notice the same serving staff helping them no matter where they are. This is because cast members rotate with guests to make sure that they get a friendly, personal experience. They’ll do their best to remember allergies and food preferences.
Go Against The Grain
The Disney Wish’s three restaurants include the 1923, which is Old Hollywood-themed, the Worlds of Marvel, and Arendelle: A Frozen Dining Adventure. If you, like me, have no interest in an Avengers-themed dining encounter, you can request to eat in one of the other restaurants and cast members will do their best to accommodate you.
Open Menu
Likewise, if you’re booked into one restaurant but liked the dish you had the night before, you can request it, even if it’s not on the menu. Though it’s not a guarantee, the odds are in your favor that your server will do their best to get it for you.
A Cut Above
One thing that separates Disney Cruises from the competition? Room service is offered 24/7—and it’s all free. Even more incredible? If you’re one of those people who needs a big jolt to get up in the morning, you can call room service and request an entire pot of coffee to be delivered to your stateroom.
Tipping
Disney Cruises have a pretty extensive tipping system, where you’re given a set of envelopes with receipts detailing the pre-paid gratuities that have already been added to your account, which gives you the option to tip more.
A Little Extra
Because of this option, the hosts and servers you come into contact with will do a lot of things to ensure that extra tip—so don’t be shy about asking what you want, but be prepared to compensate properly.
What To Ask For?
Though they may not be able to hook you up with a super-VIP experience in you’re in a regular room, or get you free cocktails, they’ll know the ship, amenities, and entertainment inside-out—so you can ask what the best shows are and which to skip, or what time to leave your room and what the best spot on the deck is for fireworks.
The Rules
Disney cast members have a lot of rules to abide by in order to present the most magic façade possible for guests—and as part of this code of conduct, there are certain things you’re never allowed to say. Yeah, of course, there’s the obvious ones—the common swear words, etc, and you can probably imagine they’re not out there on deck going “Man, this job sucks”.
But there’s one incredibly common, three-word phrase they’re not allowed to say.
Act Like You Know
While dealing with a guest, Disney cast members are forbidden from using the phrase “I don’t know”. Why? When you’re at a Disney theme park or on a Disney cruise, you’re in your own fairy tale story—and saying “I don’t know” to a question ends the story there. Instead, cast members are either supposed to say something like “I can find out for you” or “That’s a good question”.
If the question, however, is something more silly—like “What does Pluto do to unwind after he gets home at night?", cast members are authorized to make up a silly answer back.
Secret Areas
Sure, some areas, like crew cabins, will always be off-limits—but there are secret areas on each Disney cruise ship specifically meant to be found by intrepid passengers. On the Wish, for example, Hook’s Barbery isn’t just an old-school barbershop.
Through This Door…
Head to the back of Hook’s Barbery and look for the second door and you’ll find an incredible speakeasy bar that harkens back to the Prohibition era. It offers a variety of incredible cocktails that can’t be found elsewhere on the ship.
Open House
Disney Cruises offer free youth clubs for kids, tweens, and teens with supervision and incredible activities—but if you’re an adult and you’re feeling left out, there are usually “open house” times where you can join in on the fun and see characters you may not otherwise see roaming the decks and halls.
Meet & Greet
Does it seem like a whole lot of different families on board seem to already know each other or have made plans to decorate their stateroom doors together? It’s not some ultra-exclusive club.
Friends Forever
Families looking to socialize can look up forums like DisBoards Cruise Meets or CruiseCritic’s Roll Calls to sign up for door-decorating and small gift exchanges in advance, opening up opportunities to make friends that could last a lifetime.
Concierge-Level Service
So, what really are the perks of booking the more expensive concierge-level rooms? Well, there’s early booking for some activities and amenities, meaning you’re first in line. And there’s better amenities in the rooms. But one of the most luxurious parts happens on the sundeck.
The Concierge-Level Sundeck
Not only do concierge-level guests have access to a private sun deck and lounge with incredible amenities, they also get free sunscreen and chilled face towels. Imagine that on a scorching hot day? Incredible.
Timing Is Everything
If there’s a new Disney movie coming out that you’re dying to see, you can actually plan around the premiere date and see it on board. Additionally, there are special themed screenings showing Disney classics for the appropriate holidays.
Pass The Popcorn
If you like a lot of entertainment—be it the Broadway-caliber shows or stints in the movie theater—you can get a bucket of popcorn for less than two dollars. The incredible part? Keep the bucket, and refills will be free for the duration of your cruise.
'Til We Meet Again
If you’ve reached the end of your cruise and still haven’t gotten a pick with that one character you always seemed to miss, make sure to attend the final “'Til We Meet Again” show. It takes place on the final night of sailing and features pretty much every character on board. Line-ups are first come, first served, and the onboard photographers won’t be on-duty, so make sure you bring your phone or camera.
Hurry Up And Wait
What’s the worst part of the airport? Well, almost everything. But pretty high up on the list is baggage claim. And there’s a way to avoid that experience on Disney cruises. See, most passengers leave their luggage out on the last night and the crew loads it off the ship for them. But if you’re not interested in waiting around to be reunited with it, you can carry your luggage off the ship yourself and head straight to whatever your destination is.
The Family Grows
In 2016, following a sweep at the Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards, Disney announced plans to expand even more, with two new ships. First came the Disney Wish, which would be much bigger than the Dream and Fantasy, but with the same number of staterooms—which meant more room for entertainment and amenities.
Disney Wish
The Disney Wish’s construction was delayed in 2020 due to the pandemic, but it finally had its maiden voyage in July of 2022. Along with its 1,250 staterooms, it featured immersive experiences never before seen on a Disney cruise, including new additions to the catalog, like Marvel and Frozen-themed facilities, and even a Star Wars-themed bar.
Disney Treasure
The second ship in Disney’s Wish class was the Treasure, which will take its maiden voyage at the end of 2024. While the ship isn’t yet in service, it is already completed—and on its very first moments at sea, it ended up in the middle of a big adventure.
To The Rescue
The Treasure was on its delivery voyage to Florida in November of 2024 when the ships’ crew got a dire call for help. There was a catamaran nearby, and it was sinking rapidly. The Treasure sent crew off in its tender boats to investigate, and ended up rescuing a family of four—making them the Treasure’s real first passengers.
The Future Of Disney Ships
With Disney Cruise Lines reporting 312,000 passengers and $653 million in revenue in 2021, it’s no wonder that they have further plans to expand their fleet in the coming years after Treasure launches. The Destiny and the Adventure will join the Wish fleet in 2025, and there are varying reports of up to seven more ships having been ordered for launches between 2027 and 2031.
The Destiny And The Adventure
While Destiny is planned to have a predominant Marvel theme, only a few details have leaked about the Adventure—but one aspect was surprising. Taking full advantage of current trends toward artificial intelligence, the Adventure will be designed to accommodate the use of AI and robots in customer-facing roles, eliminating the need for some staff positions.
It’s a controversial choice—but it isn’t the only one Disney has had to face.
The Next Generation
The Adventure will be part of a new Global class of ships, departing from the previous Wish class. With Disney nearly doubling its fleet in the next decade, it’ll be a whole new generation of Disney Cruises—but can they ever truly walk away from their dark past?
Image Is Everything
Try as they might to control their reputation and the press they get, there are some stories that are simply too scandalous to remain hidden. And Disney Cruises, in particular, has had to weather some shocking controversies in its time.
The Environmental Toll
The negative environmental impacts of cruise ships probably come as no surprise to most—from the fuel emissions to ocean pollution from wastewater. As a result, some cruise lines have been mandated to report their energy consumption in order to calculate emissions—and for Disney, it led to a strange error.
An Accounting Error
Disney Cruises ended up in a strange scandal when it was announced that they made errors when reporting their energy consumption. But instead of underreporting them, they’d mistakenly overestimated them by a massive margin.
What Really Happened?
While it’s unclear how exactly it happened based on the information Disney provided, it has made it clear how confusing the regulations regarding reporting can be—highlighting that efforts toward carbon neutrality might be more futile than we’d want them to be, if the data from emissions reporting can’t really be trusted.
The story, though not altogether negative, was another chink in Disney’s PR armor—but in 2011, they had to a deal with a brutal blow to their highly-controlled image.
Rebecca Coriam
Rebecca Coriam was a bright and accomplished 23-year-old English woman who became a cast member for Disney in 2010. She eventually joined the Wonder as a youth worker. On March 21, 2011, the Wonder left Los Angeles. That morning, Coriam called her parents to check in, and told them she’d call again the next day—but she never did.
No Call, No Show
The next morning, when Coriam didn’t show up for her shift—or call her mother back—those who knew her on both sides of the world knew something was terribly wrong. Staff on board the Wonder reported her missing to the crew, who began to search the ship, and the Mexican coast guard searched the waters around the ship, but there was no trace of Rebecca.
The Detective
Because the ship was registered in the Bahamas, it was a Bahamian police detective who flew from Nassau to investigate. He was just one man tasked with doing the forensic portion of the investigation, and interrogating 3,000 passengers and crew.
The Investigation
Rebecca Coriam’s parents, Annmaria and Mike, flew to Los Angeles to meet the ship when it returned there, three days after their daughter’s disappearance. There, they met with the detective—and what he reported was stunning. He was leaving to go back to the Bahamas after only spending a little over a day investigating.
The Captain’s Theory
Disney brought the Coriams onto the Wonder through a side entrance, away from prying eyes. Then they met with the ship’s captain, who explained what he thought happened. He said that Coriam might have been swimming in the crew pool when a rogue wave hit the deck, washing her overboard.
Jacrews7, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Footage
While they were there, Disney also showed the Coriam CCTV footage of Rebecca—the last time she was ever seen. At approximately 5:45 am the morning of March 22, 2011, Rebecca was seen talking on the phone, and she appeared quite distressed. Distressed enough that a nearby cast member asked if she was ok, and she can be seen to say, “I’m fine”.
The Undercover Agent
There is something of a practice of secrecy among the crew—but when a reporter took a cruise on the same ship a few months later, he did his best to get answers from them, promising them anonymity. Some said Rebecca had been upset on the phone due to relationship issues.
The Crew Pool
If a Disney Cruise cast member is in public, they’re on duty. They don’t get a lot of time to themselves, and the crew rooms are unimaginably small. As a result, the crew pool and its deck is one of the few places where cast members can unwind.
The Aftermath
One of the crew members the reporter interviewed claimed that Rebecca’s sandal had been found on the pool deck after her disappearance. Another said that Disney had briefly laid out flowers there—without any explanation as to why.
The Friend
In the end, one of Rebecca’s friends and fellow cast members aboard the Wonder had the most to share about her, and spoke to the reporter on the condition of anonymity. She said the sandal wasn’t Rebecca’s, and that she may have been upset about her girlfriend, who was also a cast member—but that no one involved in the investigation had approached either of them.
She also had her own theory as to what happened.
A Moment Of Freedom
The friend said that Rebecca was a bit of a daredevil, and may have been sitting on the high fence around the Disney Wonder’s crew pool to enjoy a moment of feeling free and tumbled from there. But why the cover-up? Well, that area would’ve been in full view of crew areas where people would’ve been keeping watch.
As she said, if whoever was on duty was doing what they’re supposed to, they would’ve seen Rebecca—and if they didn’t, they’re covering for themselves.
Looking For Answers
Rebecca Coriam’s family spent years being told “the investigation is ongoing” anytime they asked about their daughter. Eventually, they filed a lawsuit against Disney, which settled with them out of court for an undisclosed amount in 2015. But still, there are so many questions that remain unanswered.
Still A Mystery
Rebecca Coriam has now been missing for nearly 14 years. Despite all the attention, no one has truly been able to establish whether she disappeared in a horrible accident, with some suspecting even that could’ve been covered up—or whether something more nefarious happened.
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